The abrasion resistance of fabrics from blends of cotton with heat resistant thermoset fibers when rubbed against soft surfaces is only slightly better than that of all-cotton fabrics.
Cotton jeans are commonly worn by welders, however, they rapidly deteriorate due to spark holes and wear out due to soft surface abrasion at pockets and cuffs. Cotton blend fabrics with high heat resistance, good aesthetics and high soft surface abrasion resistance are needed in many types of apparel, particularly work pants and jackets exposed to heat and sparks. Fabrics made from blends of cotton and nylon have excellent soft surface abrasion resistance but are about the same or inferior to cotton in heat resistance. The soft surface abrasion resistance of fabrics made from blends of cotton, polyester and heat resistant fibers, e.g. poly (p-phenylene terephthalamide) (PPD-T) is about the same as for fabrics from blends of cotton and PPD-T but lower than that of polyester/cotton fabrics.